10-goal period helps T1 Thunder shock the 'Rocks

Marcus Khan makes one of his 59 saves as the Langley Junior T1 Thunder won a fifth straight game, 16-5 over the visiting Victoria Junior Tier 1 Shamrocks on Sunday afternoon at Langley Events Centre. Ryan Molag photo

While their meeting the week before was a one-goal battle, there was little doubt in the outcome in the rematch on Sunday afternoon. But the result was the same for both: Langley Junior Tier 1 Thunder victories.

Hosting the Victoria Junior T1 Shamrocks at Langley Events Centre, the T1 Thunder exploded for 10 second-period goals, improving to 5-0 in the BC Junior Tier 1 Lacrosse League standings following a 16-5 victory.

Langley defeated the T1 Shamrocks 6-5 on May 3 in Victoria, giving the T1 Thunder a sweep of the season series against the defending provincial champions.

“We set the tone, they are the reigning champs of B.C., and we took it to them for all three periods,” said Langley coach Connar Abrams when asked what changed over the course of eight days between the teams’ two games.

“That was a full 60-minute effort. It wasn’t a one-man thing, it wasn’t a two-man thing, it was a whole team thing and that starts with the team, the coaches and everyone behind the scenes.”

Ahead 4-1 after a period, the T1 Thunder blew it wide open with 10 goals over the next 20 minutes with Brayden Longacre scoring three of his four goals in the middle frame.

“Just moving the ball. We were able to keep swinging it and put it in the back of the net,” Longacre said of what prompted the second-period success. “And we just fed off the energy of each other.”

“The offence really found their flow and we just started hitting our shots,” Abrams said, adding that it was impressive that every forward on the team registered at least a point.

Both Longacre (4-2) and Glass (4-1) had four-goal games while Logan Claxton scored his first career junior goal to go along with his five assists. Mason Eastgate finished with a pair of goals and three assists, Madden Bakatsis (2-1), Owen Van Ryn (1-1) and Cole O’Callaghan (1-0) also found the back of the net with Jackson Moleski and Hunter Moleski registering four and two assists, respectively.

The T1 Thunder were badly outshot in the game with Victoria firing 64 shots, 59 of which were saved by Marcus Khan, including 23 in the first period alone as Langley was outshot 24-12 in the first period Langley managed 39 shots for the game.

Up next for the team is another home game as they welcome the Port Coquitlam Junior T1 Saints to Langley Events Centre on May 13 with a 7:30pm start time. It will be the T1 Thunder’s third game in six days, including the second time they face Port Coquitlam.

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